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Santa Maria della Vittoria
Santa Maria della Vittoria Our Lady of the Victory 17 Via XX Settembre Baroque church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. History The church was built by the Discalced Carmelite Friars, with financial support from Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Construction started in 1603 or 1608, led by Carlo Maderno. It was first named San Paolo, St Paul's, after an older chapel on the site. At the battle of the White Mountain at Prague in 1620, the imperial forces saved Bohemia for the Church, and their Carmelite chaplain had carried a picture of the Nativity around his neck. The image was brought to Prague, and from there to Rome. It was at first taken to Santa Maria Maggiore, and from there carried in procession to San Paolo, which was still unfinished. It was then decided to dedicate the church to the Blessed Virgin in gratitude for the victory. It was partially destroyed by fire on 29 June 1833, and later restored. The present titular of this church is H.E. Giuseppe Cardinal Caprio. Exterior The façade is by Giovanni Battista Soria, designed in 1626. He was influenced by Maderno's façade on Santa Susanna, on the left side across the road from this church. Don't miss Domenico Fontana's Fountain of Moses (1585) just across the road from the front of the church. Interior The general design is reminiscent of Maderno's earlier work at Sant'Andrea della Valle. The Baroque style entered the church later, partly through Bernini's Cappella Cornaro (see below). The miraculous painting of the Nativity was destroyed in the fire in 1833, but a copy is enshrined above the high altar, framed by a gloria. The interior is a good example of the Baroque style taken to its extremes, with a very good result. It is fascinating that this church is by the same architect as Santa Susanna across the road, which is in a very different style. The choir gallery is by Mattia de' Rossi, who worked with Bernini. Notice the angels holding it aloft, and also the angels supporting the cornice and vault. The paintings in the vault, depicting Mary among the angels and the fall of the evil angels, are by Giovanni Domenico Cerrini. They were painted c. 1675. Cerrini also painted the angels in the cupola. In the apse above the high altar is a painting of the Entrance of the Image of the Madonna into Prague, made in the 19th century restoration. The Baroque Cappella Cornaro was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1646. The most famous work of art in the church can be seen in it: Bernini's Ecstasy of St Teresa of Avila, also from 1646. It is considered one of the best Baroque sculptures in Rome, and is one of Bernini's best and most well-known works. An angel is about to pierce St Teresa's heart with a dart of divine love, a scene described in her mystical writings. The persons witnessing her ecstasy are the donor Cardinal Francesco Cornaro and his family. In the chapel opposite the Ecstasy is a sculpture by Domenico Guido. It shows an angel revealing Mary's virginal conception to St Joseph. The panels depicting the adoration by shepherds and the flight into Egypt are by Monnot. In another chapel are two paintings by Domenichino, the Ecstasy of St Francis and St Francis Receiving the Stigmata, and in yet another Guercino's Holy Trinity. Turkish standards captured at the siege of Vienna in 1683 hang in the church. Giovanni Giustiniani, who was killed during the siege of La Rochelle in 1638, is buried here.